SQUATTASTIC

CHECK CHECK CHEKIT: OKASIONAL CAFE!

2012-02-29T12:41:00.000-08:00

http://okcafe.wordpress.com/

UP AND RUNNIN....

SQUATTING INFOSHEET - Information for Squatters

2012-02-24T11:48:00.002-08:00

This information was current February 2012

Figure 1: Squatter’s gather secretly to share food and plan resistance to government attacks on housing

As you might have heard, the U.K. government wants to pass a new law to make some types of squatting illegal….

Don’t Panic! Squatting is Still Legal

The law has not changed yet. It is still going through parliament and will have to be voted on in Parliament , first in the House of Commons (that vote happened at the end of last year; they gave us just six days of notice!) and then it has to be reviewed by the House of Lords (that’s happening now in Early 2012). If the House of Lords change it at all then it has to go back to the House of Commons.
If the law passes in both houses of Parliament then the earliest it could begin is April 2012. Even then the law will still have to be tested in court against human rights standards.
As it is now written the proposed law would only affect squatting in residential buildings. Squatting in commercial buildings like empty warehouses that are not in use will still be legal.

Remember that in most parts of the world all types of squatting is outlawed but it still happens.

For more information see http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news794.php

How to beat the proposed anti-squatting law? Step 1. Head it off in Parliament by letting people know why this law is unnecessary, unfair, and unaffordable. This means putting a good face on squatting and outmanoeuvring the nasty newspapers. Three KEY MESSAGES and some basic facts that the public needs to know about the proposed anti-squatting laws

“The new law being proposed is completely unnecessary. The laws that already exist are fully adequate to deal with squatting. It is already a criminal offence to squat an occupied home”

Even the Police and the Law Society have stated the existing laws are adequate and the new laws are media driven.

“New law will effectively criminalise the homeless in the middle of a housing crisis. Criminalisation of squatting will keep properties empty which will make matters worse for empty homes and the homeless.”

There are seven hundred thousand empty properties in England and Wales while homelessness is currently increasing because of cuts to public services and housing support.

“The proposals will be really expensive and unaffordable and will place a financial burden on the government, the Police, the judiciary and homelessness and housing providers. All during a time of austerity measures.”

SQUASH estimates the cost of criminalizing squatting could be one billion£ over five years.

Step 2. Take direct action. Join up with your fellow squatters to plan dramatic action that lets government, the police & landlords know we won’t be made homeless! Tips: cooperate, link up, share plans with others to build better actions. Remember, more than just squatters are threatened so let’s link up with others who are losing their housing.

Step 3. Resist evictions and build stronger squatter networks. In many places around the world squatting is totally illegal and yet it still happens!

Organisations, tips, web links, and advice for squatters

Advisory Service for Squatters

Angel Alley

84b Whitechapel High St

London E1 7QX

Phone: 020 3216 0099

Fax: 020 3216 0098

email: advice@squatter.org.uk

http://www.squatter.org.uk

Squatter’s Action for Secure Homes (SQUASH) is a campaign group of squatters working to stop the criminalisation of squatting. To get involved see their website http://www.squashcampaign.org

Squatters call Info phone 07895107544. Send journalists to Press Phone 07415516105.

Squattastic is a London-wide meeting of Squatters usually happening on a Sunday afternoon with information, discussion, and workshops. Usually there is a dinner party in the evening. For information on when the next meeting will happen see http://squattastic.blogspot.com

To get on the squattastic email list contact squattastic@riseup.net or come to a dinner party.

Practical Squatters Evenings happen on most Tuesday evenings. These are a chance to meet people, find squats, find squat-mates, get information, and get practical advice (plumbing, legal support, etc.) On the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the month they happen in South London at 56a Infoshop [56 Crampton Street, London SE17 3AE (near Elephant & Castle)] and on the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesday of the month they happen in North London at LARC 62 Fieldgate street whitechapel, London E1 1ES

North London http://nelsn.wordpress.com

South London http://www.56a.org.uk/squatpract.html

Squatters on Facebook

“I used to squat and I don’t want it criminalized” Link http://on.fb.me/xFT5cJ

Other webinfo for squatters

Squatters Network of Brighton and Hove http://network23.org/snob

Bristol housing action movement: housingaction@yahoo.co.uk

Squatter bulletin boards allow squatters to leave messages, meet squat mates or find squats. There are Squatter bulletin boards at these Social Centres in London:

ASS, 84b Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX http://www.squatter.org.uk
56a Infoshop, 56 Crampton Street, London SE17 3AE http://www.56a.org.uk
Pogo Café, 76 Clarence Road, London, E5 8HB http://www.pogocafe.co.uk/

Get a copy of the Squatter’s Handbook (available at the above locations).

South London Squatters THURSDAY 8TH DEC

2011-12-07T14:39:00.000-08:00

(south) SCUM DINE WITH ME ! thursday 8th december
7.30pm
2 EVELYN ST. next to MacDonalds, close to Surrey Quays.
knock on 3rd window past wooden gate

ALLEY CATS THIS SATURDAY 10TH, 6PM NATIONAL THEATRE

2011-12-06T04:58:00.000-08:00

BRING UR CREW

MEAT AT SOUTHBANK OUTSIDE NT AT 6PM ON SAT
EACH GANG NEEDS TO BE DISTINGUISHBLE, MAKE YUSELFS DISTINGUISHED.

OBVS U NEED 2 BRING BIKE.
THEN WE FIND OUT WHUR THE FIRSS LOCATION IS , GET WITH UR GANG AND GO THUR. AT EACH CHECKPOINT WE FIND WHER THE NEX 1 IS, UNTIL IT IS THE END.

IT AINT NECESSRLY BOUT THE FASTES GANG COS EACH CHECKPOINT U AV 2 DO THINGS. AND U GET POINTS FOR DOING THIS THINGS. POINTS ARE SCARRED ONTO GANGMEMBERS UPPER ARMS WITH HOT AXE 2 AVOID CHEATING.

LUK AFTER UR CREW, THEY R MOST IMPORTANT THING. BEST BRING LITES, BRING CRASH HAT AND SAFE GOGGLES.

PASS IT ON. MAY WORST SQUATTERS WIN
p.s if youdont lik biks / cant sikle whatev meat at 6pm stil at southbank or call squattastic fone for detels of final locaton whur we burn things drink win. fone is 07757009150. rit now it is lost but we hop found by sateday.
pps ALSO if u want to hilp on a chekpont/ do a chikpint email squattastic@gmail.com SOON, asap, ta thank y bye. x

from UP AGAINST THE WALL MOTHERFUCKERS:

Affinity groups exist within revolutionary organisation, but cannot be organised. A few people come together out of the kind of friendship and trust that maximises security on every level. Relying on each other, the individuals in an affinity group increase their potential for action and decrease the dangers of isolation and/or infiltration. The necessity for these relationships should be obvious at this stage of our struggle … Affinity groups are not cliques – they are created for the purposes of security and activity, not simply for the exclusion of other people . Affinity groups are formed for both specific and general purposes, and will find both the needs and means for working together with other affinity groups within their own collectives and locals.

from CALL//TIQUINN:

We are not afraid of forming gangs; and can only laugh at those who will decry us as a mafia.
…
From now on all friendship is political

Solidarity with the Edinburgh Squatters!

2011-12-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

A diverse group of autonomous people are currently squatting(1) 3 Bristo Place in central Edinburgh. The 3-storey building has stood empty and unused for over 3 months since August 31st 2011. The non-hierarchical group are taking direct action to reclaim this space for use by the community. See the website: http://peoplescafe.noflag.org.uk/

The squatting of the building began yesterday afternoon with more than 100 people including families occupying the space, cleaning, organising a kitchen area and discussing how the building could be used for the benefit of the community. Banners were painted including 'The Peoples' Cafe' and displayed in the front windows.

3 Bristo Place has previously been utilised by The Forest Cafe as a volunteer-run, collectively-owned, free arts and events space. After Edinburgh University Settlement the owners of the building went bankrupt(2), it was appropriated by Price Waterhouse Coopers to administrate and The Forest Cafe were forced to vacate on 31st August 2011 despite a high profile and popular campaign to retain the space(3). Those currently squatting the building are not directly affiliated with The Forest Cafe but recognise that its closure is part of an ongoing eradication of free, non-corporate spaces in Edinburgh City Centre. Direct action has been taken to ensure that the space is not left unused but can be reopened for the benefit of the local community.

The action deliberately coincided with the November 30th UK-wide strikes over pensions. Amy Douglas, a 32 year old youth worker from Edinburgh who has been in the building since yesterday said, “While massive cuts are being made to public services and workers bear the brunt of these through much diminished pensions, the banks responsible for the financial crisis continue to profit. Cuts to public services also threaten community spaces and the same banking system is responsible for the detrimental impact this has had on communities across the country(4). By squatting and reopening 3 Bristo Place we resist the banks' continued profiting at the expense of those who are already suffering from the cuts.”

Today there will be meetings to organise a programme of participatory events which will be open to the public. It is hoped that the building can be used as an organising space for community projects.

For Access Call: 07799737995

(1)While there is no legal right to squat in Scotland, squatting in this context means to settle on or occupy property, especially otherwise unoccupied property, without any title, right, or payment of rent.

(2)Edinburgh University Settlement were declared bankrupt and forced into administration in October 2010.

(3)http://blog.theforest.org.uk/savetheforest

(4)For more information on the impact of cuts-related community centre closures see http://www.guardian.co.uk/edinburgh/2010/may/18/edinburgh-community-centres-saved-gorgie-mem-colinton-mains-longstone-council and http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/mar/25/public-sector-cuts?intcmp=239

South London Squatter's Network DINNER!

2011-11-27T04:53:00.000-08:00

SLS Network's answer to Scum Dine with Me of North London..

A regular Dinner/Meeting/Party at different squats in South London.
The next one is on Thursday 1st December at 7pm,
81 County Street SE1 4AD (Elephant&Castle)
The venue for the one after that will be decided there.

YUM

Bristol: Maggs & Allen office attacked

2011-11-26T16:37:00.000-08:00

17th November, from Bristol Indymedia:

"At approximately 2 am this morning, the office of Maggs & Allen estate agent in Henleaze, Bristol was attacked with hammers. The windows of their shop front were totally annihilated.

This action was taken in solidarity with The Factory, and dedicated to all autonomous spaces in Bristol past and present.

Against property speculation, the gentrification of our communities and the evictions of our homes and social spaces.

(A)"

THE ADVENTURES OF CAMELOT SCAMELOT

2011-11-26T06:02:00.000-08:00

(cut and paste...)

Bristol Squattastic Meeting

2011-11-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

If you agree with the popular sentiment at the moment of 'fuck the fucking fuckers' we have the meeting for you!

Bristol Squattastic are next meeting on Friday 25th November at Kebele, 14 Robertson Road, Easton @ 6pm.

Bring plans and ideas for defending our squats!

Tories In Squatting Crackdown

2011-11-20T13:01:00.000-08:00

Posted on Occupied Times, http://theoccupiedtimes.co.uk/?p=796

Westminster’s war on squatters will hit protest camps next, housing activists have warned.

Members of Squatters’ Action For Secure Homes issued a call for solidarity this week after 15 appeared in Westminster Magistrates Court charged with unlawful assembly for their part in an overnight protest outside Parliament.

The activists’ lawyer Raj Chada said last week he had won a two-week adjournment to lobby Crown prosecutors to drop the case, since the charges stem from legislation which has technically been repealed.

The Serious Organised Crime and Policing Act bars “unauthorised” demonstrations within a square kilometre of Parliament — but the government’s Police Reform Act, which has been passed but not yet come into force, scales down the scope of the ban to protests in Parliament Square directly outside the House.

Mr Chada appeared confident of an acquittal, saying the Crown had until 23 November to decide.

But spokesman Rueben Taylor warned the vilification of squatters and the Occupy movement was “intimately connected.”

“We are being ruled by a government who believes that property is more important than people, and is passing violent and draconian laws to silence those who are losing out.

“Certain Tories have also made it clear that if they would like nothing better than to extend these laws against squatting to cover other types of properties, and thereby to criminalise occupation as a form of protest – in universities, workplaces, and public places.”

Meanwhile the current proposals were “just a test”.

“If they are allowed to get away with it, we will undoubtedly see even more repressive laws being pushed through in the coming months,” he warned.

The charges stem from a 150-strong campout near the Houses of Parliament earlier this month after justice secretary Ken Clarke rammed through an amendment criminalising squatting in residential buildings.

Police ordered the demonstrators to disperse, then kettled around 50 protesters who refused to leave.

The amendment – tacked on just six days before it was passed and before publication of the government’s consultation report – threatens homeless people in residential buildings with fines of up to £5,000 and up to a year behind bars.

Around 35,000 people in Britain will lose their home between now and Christmas, according to estimates from housing charity Shelter — an average one person every two minutes.

Win! Grow Heathrow

2011-11-20T12:52:00.001-08:00

Court case adjourned again. The judge took into account our human rights arguments and adjourned the case to the higher authority of Central London County Court where a two day hearing will take place in a few months time. This means we’re here at least until the new year!

After months of negotiations the landowner decided to take us to court and try to remove the community project. John McDonnell MP came to court to speak as a witness to highlight the benefits the project provides as a community resource and how he is strongly against any possible future eviction. However he wasn’t even called upon to speak as the judge made his ruling after only an hour and half.

Speaking outside court Grow Heathrow member Rachel Greene said:

“This ruling today is unheard of for squatting cases. It shows the importance of community spaces as the government violently cuts public services and criminalises squatting. In Sipson we will keep fighting to put derelict spaces back into use to the benefit of community life.”

UPDATES

2011-11-19T10:06:00.000-08:00

EVICTIONS RESISTED IN HACKNEY!

2011-11-19T09:42:00.000-08:00

Squatters and supporters have successfully resisted the eviction of three different squats in Hackney over the past few weeks. First time round everyone then took to the streets, paying a visit to the hackney housing hq, and then onto Tesco's who own one of the squats being threatened with eviction. It was great. read more stuff about it here http://london.indymedia.org/articles/10787 and here http://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2011/11/hackney-squatters-fight-off-eviction-for-third-time/

Factory Squat Bristol Evicted

2011-11-16T04:13:00.001-08:00

The Factory Social Centre in Bristol was evicted first thing this morning by bailifs and police.
Two arrests were made of people inside the building. It was over by 9 a.m.

SQUATTASTIC 12

2011-11-12T07:24:00.000-08:00

1 YURR ANIVOWSARY. YALL INVITTED! PLES TELL ALL UR SQUATTEY MATES AND FAMBLY. BRING UR BIG BAD CRU FIX UP A BIK,,,, NORF SOUTHH EAST AND WEST ... SATEYDAY DECEMBER 10 ... WILL START AFTER DAHRK, SOMEWHER.

IF U CANT BIKE NO MATTER DO A CHEK POINT . MAILE: SQUATTASTIC@GMAIL.COM WITH IDEAS AND KUESTIONS, OR IF YU CRU WANT TO RUN CHEK POINT

THANKYU FUR TIME, BYE NOW. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

SQUATTERS LEGAL NETWORK

2011-11-12T06:51:00.000-08:00

With the stage set for the criminalisation of squatting in 'residential buildings' there has been discussion of the need for some sort of legal support network for squatters if we are to face custodial sentences and heavy fines, both to support the people in our communities and a means to encourage people to continue to squat.

At the last squattastic we discussed the need for a group that can provide squatters with;

-legal information and advice
-legal observers when resisting evictions/on demos
-bust cards
-arrestee support
-help getting legal representation
-help with fines
-prisoner support if they end up inside

-give advice/co-ordinate pressing charges at illegal evictions and suing the police when they slip up
-and a bunch of stuff we haven't thought of yet...

There are many groups that you're all probably are of or even involved in that already provide these things but are already working at capacity and it's essential, especially now, that squatters begin to organise to do all this for themselves and each other.

If you're interested in establishing a Squatters Legal Network come along to the Autonomy Club meeting room, above Freedom Books down Angel Alley (84b Whitechapel High St.) at 7pm on Tuesday 15th November.

Members of Green and Black Cross, the Advisory Service for Squatters, the Legal Defence and Monitoring Group and London Anarchist Black Cross will give brief run-downs of what their groups do and how they do it, followed by an open discussion and planning of how we can establish a Squatters Legal Network and support the groups already doing this work.

Hope to see you there.

Persons Unkown

SOUTH SIDE SQUATTERS!!!

2011-11-09T01:58:00.000-08:00

Out of the squats and onto the streets; some thoughts on the events of Monday night

2011-11-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

Around 400 or so squatters turned out in London on Monday night to oppose the governments proposals to criminalise squatting. More than half were on bikes and met for critical mass at waterloo, but almost 200 also made it on foot to meet at High Street Kensington.

We all had about four days to pull something together and get out there, and the fact that so many people did, well it says a lot. we all give a shit.

SQUASH called the action, and although not all squatters have necessarily been involved with engaging with the government on its own terms, a lot of squatters still recognise the validity of what the squash people have been doing as one particular tactic(their piece on SHIFT chats about this more). So squash called it but of course it took all of us coming out in one big mass of pissed-off-ness to make it into something.

Anyway. Monday. There was a bit of a fuck up. The house that we discovered we were to be sleeping outside of, that is Crispin Blunt's (the under secretary of state for justice, and the megatron scuzbag who's brought in the stupid amendment) was haktuly no longer his - it belonged to his wife who'd left him and was no doubt quite a lot less of a scuzbag. We weren't up for staying there so we went to Parsons Green and joined up with critical mass. There were still 300 or something of us and we all managed to decide to go to Westminster, where we had a sort of picnic and then the police started throwing their toys out the pram and willy nilly arresting people.

The question i want to raise, that we all should be thinkin about way more laterally then we've managed to so far, is one of organisation. Different ways of organising clashed on Monday and some squatters were left feeling disempowered and frustrated at being led way out to the arse end of fulham for pumpkin soup and jazz hands on Parsons Green. It would be easy for this to become another point at which we divide, for us all to go home and say fuck it, our differences are irreconcilable, each one thinking the other is a moron. THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN (those in power are way more moronic). We will literally not survive if we fall apart like that, and if this means we need to now find new ways of organising, that more fits how we live and communicate as squatters, that is fucking great.

Announcing the exact location for actions in advance is obviously problematic if you want to avoid them being pigged out, but neither is it ideal if this has to come at the price of people's ability to choose what they want to do and how they want to participate. But this is not some enormous unbridgeable gulf, we need and have to get around it. No doubt as squatters we are more than capable of finding a bunch of solutions that we can work with. Lets not just sit and slag each other off over ash trays in our own squats, we can move things forward. A lot of the time we don't even bother telling each other what we don't like about our different approaches, but we need to be having those conversations, we need to make the effort to get out and meet each other, have some arguments and get the ball rolling...

nuff love, nuff respect

there is a comment section, roll with it

From Seth Toboccman's 'War in The Neighbourhood', that focusses around Tompkins Square in 1980s Lower East Side New York, and the various squatter and homelessness movements it was home to:

when i was lookin for pictures of thomkins square, a bunch of stupid dog pictures came up cos apparantly now it is home to the annual halloween doggy parade or something. so err ...here u go. for the lulz (but scuze me while i sick myself a bit)

SOLIDARITY FROM PRAGUE!!!

2011-11-07T04:27:00.000-08:00

The Factory received the following message from comrades in Prague, Czech Republic:

hey!

yesterday we made a little action in prague to support the struggle
against the criminalisation of squatting in UK and to send our love and solidarity to our friends and comrades from Orange Fence and The Factory. Our attempt to occupy the british embassy failed but we at least managed to block the front door with our banner and spread some english/czech flyers:We are here today to show our solidarity with the English squatter’s movement which is now facing a wave of repression and as well the government efforts to criminalise it.

The UK parliament is planning on Tuesday 1st of November to take the first step towards the criminalization of squatting, voting a clause that makes squatting in residential building a criminal offence, with up to 51 weeks of imprisonment. In the mean time anarchist squats like The Factory in Bristol and The Orange Fence in London are already under treatment of eviction and they are currently fighting to resist that abuse:

“We will always lose in their courts. We will always lose in their
elections, their wars, their boardrooms and all their other games.
The only people who win in these settings are the people who already have money and power.
We’re not going to win our freedom fighting rigged battles within their system.
We will win together, outside of and against that system: in the streets; in the squares; in the occupied spaces.”

Criminalization of squatting doesn’t mean end of autonomous spaces. It will not suffocate our desire of self-organization and it will not even stop us from liberating houses from the capitalist machine.

We want and we need homes not shopping malls, banks and posh hotels. Here in Czech Republic, in UK and everywhere else.

HANDS OFF THE FACTORY, ORANGE FENCE AND ALL THE OTHER SQUATS!

2 EVICTIONS - 1 RESISTANCE

2011-11-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

Friday 4th November

The storm is coming... Are we gonna ride it?

Join us to resist 2x evictions in one morning, starting at 8:30am, 184 Well Street, and moving swiftly on to 320 Mare Street for 9:45am.

Bring Banners, tea and music, spread the word. THEIR LAWS, NOT OURS!
STILL WE SQUAT, STILL WE RESIST.

ACAB.

NO HOUSING NO PEACE

2011-11-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

Show your Support in Court! Friday 11 November 9:45am, Westminster Magistrates Court - 181 Marylebone Road, NW1 5BR

yep we're all still here, it's been traumatic, but we're definately still here. jus need to emphasise how important our networks are, we really need to be there for each other from now on cos the next while is probably gonna be pretty shit. in the face of so much unbelievable bullshit its so fuckin important. coming out of police custody to find a bunch of ur friends and other squatters there eclipses all the crap from the previous day or so, we really really really need to make sure we get out onto the streets to be there for each other in the coming months. there are a bunch of evictions coming up that r gonna be resisted, lets try and show them that we aint gonna take this lying down.

Brighton March for Squatting

2011-11-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

November 5th, 12pm, Victoria Gardens

The UK Government is trying to criminalise squatting in residential buildings despite 95% of responses to their own 'consultation' being opposed to any change in law.

There are enough empty buildings in the UK to house every destitute person in this country. It is criminal that people are forced to sleep in the cold whilst thousands of properties are unused and left to deteriorate.
Criminalising the homeless is no solution to a housing crisis, it will only marginalise homeless people further.

HOUSING SHOULD BE A RIGHT NOT A PRIVILEGE

March with us against the change in law on Saturday 5th November.
Meet at Victoria Gardens at 12pm, bring your instruments, your friends, and your best friend squatdogs!

For more info see..
http://www.squashcampaign.org/
https://network23.org/snob/2011/10/28/s-n-o-b-statement-regarding-clarke’s-anti-squatting-amendmen

t-to-the-legal-aid-bill/
Or follow
https://twitter.com/snobaha

See you on the streets!

2011-11-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

OUT OF THE SQUATS AND ONTO THE STREETS

2011-10-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

LONDON: MEET 6:30PM MON 31ST HIGH ST. KEN

MANCHESTER: MEET 5:30PM MON 31ST OUTSIDE TOWN HALL

TBC...

CALL TO ACTION

2011-10-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

The Government want to sneak through the criminalisation of squatting, which will be voted on in Parliament this Tuesday 1st November 2011.

Over 95% of responses to the ‘consultation’ on squatting were against the criminalisation.
Despite this, the government is still going ahead with their proposals - effectively bypassing democracy.

SQUASH have tried engaging with the democratic processes but despite overwhelming support to not criminalise squatting we have been ignored.

Our only rational response now is to call for people to TAKE ACTION. We have been forced into this position. See you on the streets!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MONDAY 31st OCTOBER : CALL OUT FOR A MASS SLEEP OUT

MEET AT HIGH KEN TUBE STATION 6.30PM - EVENING STANDARD HQ - NORTHCLIFFE HOUSE, 2 DERRY ROAD W8 5TT.
CRITICAL MASS (BIKES) MEET AT WATERLOO BRIDGE 7PM

BRING SLEEPING BAGS!

if you would like to propose an event to hold during the sleep out
- teach outs, comedy shows, face-painting, music, cardboard house making, trick or treating, pumpkin soup kitchen
- get in touch, or just make it happen! remember, we're going to be there all night, so bring things to keep everyone warm and busy!

TUSESDAY 1st NOVEMBER: EN MASS REGISTRATION OF HOMELESSNESS

9am - Outside Westminster Housing Options Service, 101 Orchardson Street, LONDON NW8.
THIS ACTION IS TO SYMBOLISE THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CRIMINALISING SQUATTING ON THE ALREADY STRETCHED HOMELESSNESS SERVICES

THIS CALL OUT EXTENDS TO OTHER CITIES TO TAKE ACTION OUTSIDE THEIR REGIONAL HOMELESS PERSON UNITS WITH MASS SLEEP OUTS, SOUP KITCHENS, AND OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT.
FOLLOWED THE NEXT DAY BY A SYMBOLIC MASS REGISTRATION OF HOMELESSNESS.

WWW.SQUASHCAMPAIGN.ORG

A positive look on squatting

2011-10-27T11:08:00.000-07:00

PRICED OUT

2011-10-27T09:44:00.001-07:00

Whatever They Say, Squatting Will STAY!

2011-10-27T06:29:00.001-07:00

The session will also take place:

- TODAY (Thursday 27 October) at 4pm, OCCUPY LONDON, outside ST PAULS CATHEDRAL, London
- Saturday 29th October - Bradford, 1in12 Club, 7pm

Off Market Free School

2011-10-27T03:04:00.000-07:00

Off Market has opened a Free School! 68 Dalston Lane, here's the schedule for the next two weeks:

WHATEVER THEY SAY SQUATTING WILL STAY

2011-10-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

WEDNESDAY 26TH OCT: LONDON, RATSTAR 8PM
THURSDAY 27TH OCT: ST. PAULS OCCUPATION, 4PM
FRIDAY 28TH OCT: MANCHESTER, OKasional CAFE 6PM
SATURDAY 29TH OCT: BRADFORD, 1in12 CLUB, 7PM
might be a good opportunity to get together and talk about wot to do regarding the fuckwits (see previous post).

GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO MAKE SQUATTING IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE

2011-10-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

DESPITE AN ASTOUNDING 2165 OUT OF 2217 RESPONSES RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE CRIMINALISATION OF SQUATTING IN THE RECENT PUBLIC "CONSULTATION", GOVERNMENT MINISTERS ARE RUNNING WITH IT ANYWAY AND SEEK TO MAKE SQUATTING IN ANY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY A CRIMINAL OFFENCE. THEY PLAN TO SLIDE THIS IN WITH THE LEGAL AID, SENTENCING, AND PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS BILL.

they are a bunch of fuckwits and their democracy is a joke. this is really bad and we need to take action.

FROM SQUASH:
Government 'bypasses democracy' to sneak through anti-squatting laws

Housing charities, MPs, squatters, property consultants, activists, lawyers and artists have accused the government of sneaking in an amendment to the Legal Aid and Sentencing Bill announced today by Justice Secretary Ken Clarke to “make squatting in residential buildings a criminal offence”. Campaigners say the amendment will not take into account the thousands of consultation responses submitted earlier this month and will not add any further protection to residents.

Over the past 3 months the government have been undertaking a consultation process entitled “Options for Dealing with squatters” which came to an end on October 5th. Squatters Action for Secure Homes (SQUASH) have accused the government of “ignoring the consultation” by rushing through anti-squatting laws only 3 weeks after the consultation has ended.

The amendment states that making squatting in residential building a criminal offence will “end the misery of home-owners whose properties have been preyed on by squatters”. However strong legislation already exists to protect residents from having there home squatted. Last month 160 leading legal figures wrote an open letter which was published in The Guardian explaining that under Section 7 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 it is already a criminal offence to squat someone’s home.1

SQUASH spokesperson Paul Reynolds, said:

“ The governent is ignoring the results of its own consultation which shows that the criminalisation of squatting in empty residential properties will do nothing to protect residents who are already protected by strong legislation. This amendment will criminalise the homeless in the middle of a housing crisis who use squatting as the last remaining option to keep a roof over their heads.”

John Mcdonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington said:

“By trying to sneak this amendment through the back door the government are attempting to bypass democracy. There was over 2,200 responses to the consultation on squatting so there is no way the government could have acknowledged all the evidence”.

FROM THE FUCKWITS:

Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke has announced a raft of tough measures to better protect people from intruders, dangerous criminals and excessive no-win no-fee legal costs.

He set out plans for the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill as the latest in a series of radical moves to reduce reoffending, improve sentencing and reform the legal aid system.

The amendments include measures to:

Make squatting in residential buildings a criminal offence to end the misery of home-owners whose properties have been preyed on by squatters.
Strengthen people's rights to use force to defend themselves from intruders in their own homes.
Give magistrates power to hand down bigger fines.
Ban the referral fees which have allowed middle-men to profit from encouraging others to make unnecessary compensation claims.
The new measures will be debated in the House of Commons next week and, if passed by vote, will be added to Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which is currently progressing through Parliament. The full amendment notes can be found here.

If you are interested in continuing to receive updates on the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, you can register on the MoJ website.

MoJ response to the consultation http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/dealing-with-squatters.htm

STUDENT PROTEST: OCCUPATION UNDER ATTACK...02NOV @ULU LONDON

2011-10-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

Defend the Factory! March and Demonstration!

2011-10-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

AGAINST EVICTION & GENTRIFICATION!
In defence of autonomous spaces!

Factory Squat Bristol in Court 26th October. Demo called.

2011-10-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

The Factory social center in Bristol has received court papers for possession for next Wednesday the 26th of October. A demonstration to the courts has been called for that day. Meet outside the building at 12 noon in Portland Square.

WHATEVER THEY SAY SQUATTING WILL STAY!

2011-10-21T02:15:00.000-07:00

October the 1st 2011 marked one year since the Kraakverbod made squatting illegal in the Netherlands. However, hundreds of people still squat and will continue to squat.

With squatting in the UK coming under threat, join us to hear 3 squatters from Amsterdam talk in several cities across the UK about squatting before the ban, resistance to the criminalisation and what's been happening since the Kraakverbod became law.

Sunday 23rd October - Brighton, Cowley Club 2pm

Tuesday 25th October - Bristol, Cave St Factory 8pm

Wednesday 26th October - London, Ratstar 8pm

Friday 28th October - Manchester, OKasional Cafe 6pm

Saturday 29th October - Bradford, 1in12 Club, 7pm

The talk will include;

-a brief history of squatting in the Netherlands,

-an run-down of the various attempts to criminalise squatting, the most recent campaign and what the Kraakverbod is,

-Anti-Kraak companies like Camelot, Ad Hoc

-what the speakers felt was successful in the campaigns and mobilisation before the criminalisation, what was not successful, and what's been happening since

- the consequences of the Kraakverbod for for housing general, cultural life, political activism and the squatting community

with some space for questions and discussions afterwards.

Where ever you are, see you there!

KRAKEN GAAT DOOR!

kraakverbod.squat.net

photos from Marien Van Os' flickr

Audio recording from Sheffield Free School

2011-10-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

SQUATTING AND AUTONOMOUS SPACES

Find out how groups in Sheffield are actively challenging the absurd abundance of empty buildings by reclaiming and redefining so-called private property. Squatting makes use of unused buildings to meet real needs such as for a home or a social space. Come along and discuss why it’s necessary and how you can you get involved.

http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/10/487033.html
http://sheffieldsocialcentre.org.uk/

ONE MONTH UNTIL COURT FOR GROW HEATHROW

2011-10-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

On Thursday 17th November 2011, exactly one month from today, Grow Heathrow will be heading back to court. Despite no support from the local community, the local council and our local MP, the owners of the land at Grow Heathrow are going ahead with a third attempt to remove us from the site.
It makes no sense. We have tried negotiating to come to some agreement from the start but they will now only let us speak to their lawyers. They have no plans for the land and as it is greenbelt land they can’t get planning permission to do anything. All that will happen is a return to a site where regular activities include car scrapping, car breaking and contamination of agricultural land. We will not let this happen!
What can people do to support us in the run up to court proceedings?

Sign the petition for court – http://www.petitiononline.com/heathrow/petition.html
Send a supportive testimony to info@transitionheathrow.com or to Grow Heathrow, Vineries Close, Sipson, West Drayton, UB7 0JG (Full list of statements so far found at www.transitionheathrow.com/statements)
Follow us on Twitter @transheathrow. #defendGrowHrow
Get down to Uxbridge County Court for 9.30am on Thursday 17th November for a big show of support outside the court.

As well as all this we will be launching a new photo campaign soon so keep checking our blog to find out how to get involved with this. Thankyou all for your continued support.

Spread the word. http://www.transitionheathrow.com/2011/10/one-month-until-court/

DALE FARM

2011-10-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

Try and head over. Our struggles are most certainly connected.

UPDATE - EVICTION UNDERWAY - SUPPORT NEEDED

The Court of Appeal has just rejected the residents' right to a judicial review, which means that Basildon Council will be able to come on to conduct an eviction from now onwards.

We need supporters to come down as soon as possible to help resist this eviction. We need people to come willing to engage in civil disobedience as well as support residents and activists in resisting the eviction through non-arrestable roles. It may seem like a scary thing to do, but coming down to Dale Farm is one of the most important things we can do for the community here, and to protest the injustice that even the United Nations and Amnesty International have unreservedly condemned. This is a historic moment of resistance- let's do something.

The residents have nowhere to go. They are united in resisting the eviction, and we have been working with them to develop plans and strategies. Travellers in the UK are at the receiving end of state violence. The way the Dale Farm community is being treated is a form of ethnic cleansing which criminalizes a people and a culture, and it is vital that we come together in solidarity to resist it. We are ready to resist the eviction, and we need more people to join us and the residents as soon as you can come down. Bring a sleeping bag, food and resistance paraphernalia. (For a full list of things to bring, how to get here - only 30 min from London- and other important info, see http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/activity/ or call 07583621312).

In addition to getting supporters down to Dale Farm, we still need a lot of funds to cover the work we have been doing so far. Please donate at: http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/donate/

...

2011-10-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

NEW SQUATTED EXHIBITION CENTRE IN TUFNELL PARK / HOLLOWAY

2011-10-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

squatters have secured a building in north london, and have negotiated with the owners to present a temporary squat exhibition which will open to the public from wednesday

In response to badly biased mainstream media coverage, the threat of new laws criminalising squatting, and the dale farm eviction, a new squat exhibition will open this week to offer the public an alternative viewpoint and show the positive side of squatting, and its connection to providing solutions rather than causing problems.

In a perfect example of how squatting can be a positive experience, the organisers have held conversations and meetings with the current owner of the building and have not only negotiated a temporary stay with the opening of the exhibition to the public, but also the possibility of some rent-free space at a local theatre school to continue the exhibition on an 'official' basis.

The new centre can be found at 2-4 tufnell park road n7 0dl just behind the holloway road multiplex odeon.

The organisers are asking for artists, photographers and other creatives to donate work towards the exhibition, highlighting the contrast between the recent rising demonisation of squatting with a celebration of diy culture, a look at the history of squatting and positive images of successful squatted social centres. they are looking for photographs or art works on the theme of squatting, travelling and protest.
the exhibition will also focus on the stupidity of having empty buildings unused when homelessness is increasing due to the "austerity cut" assault on the poorest people in our society.
opening times will be announced shortly and more info will be available athttp://squattershousingactiongroup.wordpress.com/
and contributors can access the site before wednesday by contacting the current caretaker on O7721375374

Contact email: rikkiindymedia(At)gmail[dot]com

Against eviction and gentrification in St Pauls: for the defence of liberated spaces

2011-10-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

From Bristol Space Invaders

We are people who live in or use the Factory Social Centre, the building on the corner of Cave Street and Portland Square. A company called the PG Group wants to develop the building we are occupying. They plan to turn it into luxury flats, offices, a cafe, an art gallery and a small health centre. Aside from the possible health centre, we don’t see their development plans as good for this area. Also, when all other information suggests that the NHS is cutting back on public outpatient nursing, we have doubts about what kind of heath centre it would be and if it will really happen.
We don’t want to be moved on and we don’t want this building to be developed. We are asking for your support.
We have worked hard since we squatted here a year and a half ago to turn this building into a home and into a space for free activities, creativity and political discussion. All of these things are under threat from this development. They are also threatened by similar developments in many other places.
We don’t believe that St Pauls needs more luxury flats and offices. On Portland Square alone there are three buildings full of empty offices. We don’t want to be removed in order to create more “beautiful” sterile vacant spaces. We see the PG Group’s proposal as part of a process that is changing our city – and St Pauls in particular – by making more places that are only comfortable for people with more money. This process – often called gentrification – pushes up prices and displaces existing residents, destroying the relationships that people have built with their neighbours and their neighbourhood. It leads to even more security cameras and police to stop people gathering in public space. We want this to stop.
The PG Group say that their aim is to “improve the environment of their community and, if possible, to make donations to charity.” However, nearly all of their developments are luxury accommodation – which is useful to only a small section of the “community”. For example, they developed the flats and serviced apartments on Portland Square. They were also part of the failed onedovelane development, which proposed building the second-highest skyscraper in the UK in St Pauls.
In addition to this, the main aim of the Grant Bradley Trust, the organisation PG give money to, is “the advancement of the Roman Catholic and Christian faith in any part of the world.” It is a religious, rather than a charitable, organisation. Despite what they say, the PG Group are a development company like any other – who just use some of their profits to promote their own beliefs.
The PG Group are trying to get us to leave voluntarily by holding out the promise of another building that we could use. So far all they have offered is a shipping container for storage and the use of some meeting rooms. We reject this offer.
We want to make it clear: even if they offered us a suitable building, we do not want to leave. We believe that, in this situation, accepting another building in order to vacate this one for development would be the same as supporting what the PG Group want to do. We do not want to help them promote themselves as ethical and caring as they continue to damage neighbourhoods. We do not agree with their development and we do not intend to cooperate with it.
We are squatting this building. We do not legally own it. However, we believe that buildings should belong to the people who use them and open them up for others to use together, not to those who only want to make money off them. Laws exist to protect the interests of the rich and keep the rest of us shut out. That is why, if we have to, we will defy them. We know that this means that we are likely to face violent eviction but we believe that resistance is essential. We have to take a stand.
We are staying where we are and we call for those who support us to join us in struggle – for this building, for free spaces and against eviction and gentrification.

block the bridge, block the bill

2011-10-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

the government is about to piss all over the NHS. meet tomorrow, sunday october 9th 1pm on Westminster Bridge... http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/

CALL OUT TO CREATE AN ANTI EVICTION NETWORK

2011-10-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

from Hackney Anarchist Group...

Housing is a major issue for all of us. Times are hard for people to put a roof over their heads, whether they are tenants, squatters or even mortgage buyers!

The national and local governments have shown their true ugly faces by threatening to evict families in which a member had been arrested during the recent riots. As if making council tenants homeless was a solution to anything… This was the quickest reaction ever from a council regarding housing, shame it was to evict people!

We say that everyone deserves a home, and a decent one!

When people are being threatened or actually evicted from their home, we should all react, resist and show solidarity in anyway we can. Evictions have to stop!

The idea is very simple: we are inviting you to create a network of people/groups that will be able to mobilise quickly in the event of anyone being evicted from their home in Hackney, whatever their housing situation is (council flat, housing association, squat, hotel, private…).

The meeting will be held on Saturday 15th of October, 2pm at Passing Clouds, 1 Richmond road, London E8 4AA(Dalston junction, Haggerston).

Let’s get together, discuss where we’re at in our local struggles and build a structure that will allow us to communicate efficiently so we can stop bailiffs and police from putting people on the streets!

The proposed meeting structure will be:
- a first part (one hour) where people/representative of groups will give a brief account of what they’re doing and updates on housing in hackney.
- a second part (one hour) for all of us to discuss the practicalities of creating an anti-eviction network.

We are hoping that this will be a good tool to fight back for ourselves and our homes.

HAG is also organising a public meeting/information night about Housing on the 25th of October 7pm. Please contact us if you would like to speak about Housing in hackney on the day, any contribution is welcome.

Thank you and hope to see you all! Please forward to any group/person you think would be interested.

Squatters extend solidarity to the TUC

2011-10-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

After Plan A fell through early this morning, we occupied 101 Liverpool Road, a building to our knowledge disused since July. We then discovered that, coincidentally, the TUC were also planning to use the space tomorrow for steward prep work. We made immediate contact and the TUC expressed enthusiasm for working together against the tories. We have offered our full logistical support and have given them the following letter:

After some discussion with --------, we in occupation at 101 Liverpool Road would like first to reassure you that we have every intention to assist and facilitate the TUC stewards' planned use of the building over the next two days. We will work with the stewards so that they can have full access to the building as the need and we'll even make tea and coffee.

Signed,

The Occupiers

The following excerpt was taken from a blogpost on Occupy Manchester, and outlines briefly why its important we work alongside groups like the TUC.

Posted on September 29, 2011

This weekend we are all in Manchester to march against the Conservative Party conference and to occupy part of the city to take a stand against the cuts and policies of a government no one voted in.

Once again, every aspect of our lives is under attack by a Conservative government. Under the smokescreen of crisis and austerity working class people are seeing their wages stagnate, their rents rise and the last scraps of the welfare state being taken from them and sold on.

And, once again, the conservative government is planning to criminalise squatting and with it student, workplace and shopfront occupations. This would criminalise people’s ability to house themselves in the middle of a housing crisis, put the tens of thousands currently squatting out on the streets and on the doorsteps of homeless charities already overworked and underfunded, affect the rights of tenants, and would be a serious assault on the use of occupations as a form of protest.

Manchester Meeting at 2PM - Location Announced!

2011-10-01T01:29:00.000-07:00

After some minor technical difficulties, including an owner with a fox-shooting gun, a jeep and some hired meat heads backed up by the pigs, we have found a resting, meeting and resources space for the weekend.
It can be found at the (former) Castlefield Centre, 101 Liverpool Road, Castlefield. It's opposite the Museum of Science and Industry, check the map...

View Larger Map

Occupation Phone Number: 07521906793
See you later.x.

.xx.

a little something for the weekend...

2011-09-29T12:59:00.000-07:00

OCCUPY MANCHESTER!!!

2011-09-29T05:10:00.000-07:00

SQUATTASTIC 10
TAKES TO THE STREETS
THIS WEEKEND 1st/ 2nd oct IN MANCHESTER
meet at victoria bus station friday 30th for 3pm coach, or see this site for details of meeting place friday evening, (squattastic phone on 07757009150)

Otherwise meet us at 2pm on Saturday 1st, (location tbc)

please email any points for the agenda to squattastic@gmail.com

but basically we want this squattastic to be about

-getting up-to-date with what's going on regionally, and building on those networks.

-talking about the government consultation to criminalise squatting. Where its at, and most importantly, where next? How do we take action against the criminalisation of squatting after the consultation closes on wednesday? This is sega mega important, cos really we all know the consultation is mostly farce... Responding is just part A, we now need to work out the next bit...

RESPOND BECAUSE HE'S A...

2011-09-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.squashcampaign.org/resources/respond-to-the-consultation/

RESPOND TO THE CONSULTATION

2011-09-24T06:39:00.001-07:00

DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THE GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON SQUATTING OCTOBER 5TH.
ONLINE RESPONSE TOOL ON SQUASH SITE.

RESPOND NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SQUATTASTIC 10! OCCUPY MANCHESTER!

2011-09-22T05:46:00.000-07:00

The next Squattastic falls on the weekend of the Tory Party Conference.

Some of us squattastickers are planning to go to Manchester, and we'd like to propose that squattastic go regional and head on up. Let's all hang ooop north, and scheme and plot the downfall of the enemy.

Squattastic on Tour!! Squattastic Weekender!Occupy Manchester & Squattastic Back2Back!
This will be a chance to discuss tactics inter-regionally with some wicked crews, to talk about how the possible ban might affect us all, and how we can actively join forces nationwide. We can work with the okasional cafe, and hopefully see lots of our friends from other cities round the country.

If you think it's a good idea and you fancy coming up, send an email to squattastic@riseup.net so we can plan together.
Suggested Schedule
Getting There
There'll be a meeting place on Friday 30th September at Victoria Coach Station, London (time confirmed closer to the day).
Coaches on the megabus.com site are currently £8 each way, booking in advance will be cheaper.

Trains leave from Euston, they are quick but can be quite expensive, and barriers are quite tight. Is cheaper if you have a railcard.

It is also real possible to hitch from London to the north-west. see http://hitchwiki.org/en/Londonfor more info.

Or if you're thinking of driving, sort out a liftshare by emailing the Squattastic list.

We'll be converging at a secret location in Manchester, and meeting the manchester crew...

Come prepared to take immediate action!

If you can't make it, why not use this weekend to organise a regional meeting in your local area, where people can come down and fill out the consultation. We all need to remember to do it, and it can be more fun if we do it together! Invite your friends round, set up a laptop, and log on to www.squashcampaign.org to find the easy consultation response tool and guidance notes.

We will post details of regional meet-ups on the blog as we get word of them, so email squattastic@riseup.net if you're up for hosting something in your area, and we'll stick it up!

2011-09-22T04:54:00.000-07:00

PROPERTY IS THEFT

2011-09-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

Documentary film about the squatting movement around Villa Road

Showing at 9pm, Wednesday 21st September

COLORAMA CINEMA

56 - 58 Lancaster Street, SE1 0RY

www.coloramacinema.tumblr.com

Support Your Local Squat

2011-09-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

courtesy of miss badchild

SQUATTERS HOUSING ACTION GROUP

2011-09-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

>>DOWNLOAD FOR PRINT FROM RESOURCES SECTION

ASS of the WORLD!

2011-09-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

The Advisory Service for Squatters releases its first newsletter... and wants your help!

The hardworking bunch at the Advisory Service for Squatters have just released their annual report in the form of a newsletter.

Its full of as much information, juicy gossip and as many requests for help that you can fit on two sides of A4!

have a look here!

There are articles on the consultation papers, undercover infiltrators and the ASS's opinion on an ex-member's new anti-squat company.

They are also asking for help! ASS currently need volunteers for office shifts, volunteers for tasks outside the office and CASH!!!

If you can help with:

volunteering to do some time in the office
putting on a benefit gig/cafe/cinema etc
translation (documents to print or communications)
printing
archiving

...or in any other way you can think of then drop us a line at friendsoftheass@gmail.com

Please distribute!!

Final for printing (3MB)

Squattastic 9 - This Sunday - September 4th

2011-09-01T03:04:00.000-07:00

81 County Street, Elephant & Castle, London, SE1 4AD (off harper or falmouth road - second & third road on the left off New Kent road from elephant and castle round about).

SQUATTASTIC 8 DETAILS

2011-08-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

SQUATTASTIC 8 TOMORROW (SUNDAY 7th AUGUST)!!111!!11!

CARACOL 2pm

ST JOSEPHS CHURCH

PELTON ROAD

SE10 9AN

NEAREST TUBE: NORTH GREENWICH (JUBILEE)

NEAREST STATION: MAZE HILL (LONDON BRIDGE BR)

A little post on MEDIA from SNOB(AHA) over in Brighton...

2011-07-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

In the media, there are both left wing and right wing views on squatting. The former tends to be liberal and tolerant, the latter is outraged and bays for blood. Recently there has been a campaign emanating from the Telegraph and the Evening Standard to criminalise squatting. The Housing Minister Grant Schapps has been saying some really stupid things like how home-owners are entitled to use sledgehammers to break the door to regain possession of their houses, since it is ‘only’ property damage.

According to Councillor Maria Caulfield (Cabinet Member for Housing, Brighton and Hove City Councill) who wrote a letter to the Argus:

Unfortunately, the romantic notion of the squatter who inhabits a property that would otherwise stand around empty, even makes improvements to the property and leaves for the next empty home without costing anyone anything, has long since disappeared.

In Caulfield’s world, “squatters cost local taxpayers thousands of pounds” because of all the damage they do to Council properties. She seems to sidestep all too neatly the question of why these properties are empty and why the Council does not have plans for them. She even claims that having to repair buildings damaged by squatters leads to “unwelcome delays” for families who are desperate to move into these properties.

You just have ask WHY there are 3,600 empty homes in Brighton.

Squatting can be seen anti-capitalist direct action and thus attracts a lot of repression. Squats are often illegally harrassed by FIT [Forward Intelligence Team] units or even raided before demonstrations. This occured in 2004 with the illegal eviction of a squat in the leadup to the Labour Party Conference. In another case, the night before a SmashEDO demo in 2010, a squat was raided on a flimsy pretext, leaving the front door completely destroyed.

‘Mad Mike’ Weatherley, the MP for Hove, is currently proposing in Parliament that squatting should be made a criminal offence. This is quite ironic seeing as Brighton and Hove police routinely evicts squats illegally on flimsy grounds such as suspected criminal damage or abstraction of electricity which they think allows them to over-ride the Section6 and kick the door in. Let’s get this straight – the police regularly intimidate squatters with spurious charges (eg criminal damage for taking off a lock) which never end up in court. What a waste of taxpayers’ money!

The flipside of the coin here is munterism, by which I mean squatters being vague and uninformed.The cops have also got used to being able to blag or kick their way into buildings. If people were more on it and knew their rights the police would not be able to do this (or at least it would happen less). Brighton has changed a lot in the last 15 years. It’s now a place where the centre is patrolled by private security (SASS), you have to pay for parking pretty much everywhere in the centre, traveller vehicles are hassled out of town and (most outrageous of all) the cops are planning to put a police station on the Level (‘for the community’!?). Squats in the Laines might now be hard to pull off, but then having said that, 325 and ABC did a squat party on London Road in the old Sainsburys (now Aldi) in 2007.

Nowadays it is hard to squat here, not impossible but difficult. Sussex Street, Shaftesbury Place, Rugby Place, Southdown Road, College Terrace and Albion Road have all seen squats which lasted at the most a few months, sometimes just days. There are other squats, better off anonymous, which have existed for years, but these are certainly the exceptions rather than the rule. However, things do seem to be on the up, as proven by the recent Taj occupation. It was amazing that a building in central Brighton could be held until eviction through the court process without descending into a mess. The main reason for that was presumably the safer spaces policy which ensured that no-one in the building was using alcohol or other drugs.

Enough people are fed up of projects descending into chaos that now good things are sprouting up again. In its brief lifetime the Sabotaj project attracted a lot of people and energy. Despite squatting being legal (for now!) and despite there being plenty of positive stories about squatting if you care to look for them, it seems that mainstream opinion is massively against squatting. This is in some degree shaped by (and indeed shapes) the appalling coverage given to the comparitively few instances of bad squatting stories. The Government has now (July 2011) begun a three month consultation period which may result in the criminalisation of squatting. SQUASH (Squatters Action for Secure Homes) has reformed. And whatever happens, squatting will continue.

Don’t believe the hype…

Squat the world!

This is the last bit of a two part history of Brighton that snob(aha) have been putting together. CHECK.

What's it all about...? from Caracol

2011-07-27T04:18:00.000-07:00

On 13th of July 2011, the government published a consultation paper:"Options
for dealing with Squatting". The consultation period ends on 5th October
2011 so **we need to act NOW to be heard**

The proposals outlined would affect a much wider community than those who
identify as squatters;


   -

   tenants would be at risk from unscrupulous landlords,

   -

   worker and student occupations would be illegal – as would peace and
   climate camps.

   -

   Police discretion is considered as a way of determining who is or is not
   a squatter –

   -

   violent and forcible eviction of squatters would be legal 

   -

   Anyone who used a squatted social centre or venue could be labelled a
   squatter, regardless of whether they actually lived there.


   -

   And this is the last of our ancestral rights to go.


 For hundreds of years, we have had the right to live in abandoned
buildings.  Just as the government took away our land and rights to use
common land in the past, now they are attacking our right to shelter.

In 2009 there were 725,000 empty homes – the government estimate the number
of squatters in England and Wales at 20,000: squatting is not the problem,
it is part of the solution.

We have a problem fighting this. The consultation paper pretends to be
speaking for the normal, respectable person although it is clear enough that
the interests being promoted are those of big developers and property
speculators.

The negative images of squatters spread in the media in recent months make
it hard for us to convince people that this is not a 'squatter' consultation
but an attack on the human right to shelter that will impact most heavily on
the most vulnerable people in society. These are standard divide and rule
tactics.

*
*

*How you can help*

*--*



   -

   Please understand that this is not just about squatters and parties and
   'it was nice while it lasted'.


   -

   Pass this mail on; convince everyone in your network and get them to pass
   it on too.


   -

   The government published this consultation paper over the summer, we
   believe calculating that our resistance would be lowest, when many of us are
   travelling or partying.  Let's exploit this and spread the word at every
   festival, gathering, gig and event; talk to people, tell them what is
   happening, take some leaflets or posters to display.


   -

   Many of you musicians and creatives have squatted – now we need you to
   put something back, exploit your networks and get the word out. Please.


   -

   Have a look at http://www.squashcampaign.org/ and
   http://squattastic.blogspot.com/ for an idea of what is happening and to
   get hold of flyers and posters. If you want to find out more or read the
   consultation paper, there are a few links at the end.

   -

   Respond to the consultation document; we need as large a quantity of
   responses from individuals as we can – and they don't need to be hugely
   detailed as the chances of them ever being read are low - but they will be
   counted.

   -

   If you represent an interested organisation or constituency, your
   response has a slightly greater chance of being read and so it may be worth
   setting out quality arguments. Check the Squash website at the beginning of
   August for guidance on writing responses and details of online petitions.


 If you have time to do any or all of this, that is fine, and thank you – it
will have a massive impact if enough of us do what we can.


 


 ---*Read on if you are up for more*---



   -

   Come along to our next squattastic meeting – you don't need to be
   squatting right now to participate! Next one on Sunday 7th August, at 2pm at
   Caracol in Greenwich – check the squattastic website or call 07757 009150 on
   Friday 5th for details of the venue. Come and resist criminalisation of
   LEGAL squatting.

   -

   Or find out what is happening in your area. No local group? Why not work
   with your network and start one?

   -

   Once you know what is happening, think about joining up with others
   either on one of the working groups or by participating in planned actions.

   -

   Or you might want to plan an action or campaign within your own network
   and community and it would be good if you let us know if you do. Keep in
   touch – and put out calls for help if you need it.

   -

   Offer your help – use squattastic meetings and email list to offer your
   skills, resources and time.

   -

   Share anything you produce so that we are not duplicating effort – again
   use the squattastic networks as well as the independent media and your own
   contacts.
   -

   If you are squatting right now, fill in a research questionnaire.
   squattastic is participating in some research to try to generate more
   reliable data. Since the government say that one of the purposes of the
   consultation is to generate data on squatting it is important that we get
   lots of responses so that we can counter with our own reliable facts. Check
   squattastic website for details.

   -

   Send any horror stories on illegal evictions, unscrupulous landlords and
   developer or property speculator malpractice to Caracol via squattastic. We
   are looking at the possibility of mounting an Option 6 campaign – with a
   focus on the real problem, the 725,000 homes that were standing empty in
   2009.

   -

   Donate what you can afford to the campaign – we owe the printer!


 ---*Some Facts*---


 *725,000* Empty homes in England in 2009 (
http://www.emptyhomes.com/usefulresources/stats/statistics.html)

*500,000* Crisis estimate of homeless in England in 2010 (Sheffield Hallam
research for Crisis)

*300,000* Government estimate long term empty homes in England (
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/newsroom/1903733)

*50,000* living in ‘temporary’ accommodation in England (
http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/55729197)

*42,000* households officially homeless in England (
http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/55729197)

*40,000* more households may become homeless due to welfare reforms (
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jul/02/eric-pickles-david-cameron-40000-homeless
)

*20,000* Government estimate of the number of squatters in UK (consultation
document - but no research cited in support of this figure)

*1,400* Landlords petitioned Government for a change in the law (
http://www.justdoproperty.co.uk/letting-your-property/landlord-action-deliver-petition-5071
)

*531* ordinary possession orders granted in 2010 (and these include land as
well as property trespass orders) - (Consultation document)

*216* interim possession orders granted in 2010 - (Consultation document)

*25* cases of squatting prosecuted in Scotland in last 10 years TOTAL
(squatting is an offence in Scotland) (Graeme Brown, Shelter Scotland)


 *£38,000* Cost per year of housing a prisoner

*£20,000* Cost per year of housing a family claiming maximum Housing Benefit
(Capped at £400 per week for a 4 bedroomed dwelling)

*£0* cost per year of housing a squatter


 ---*Links*---


 *Squash Campaign*

http://www.squashcampaign.org/


 *squattastic*

http://squattastic.blogspot.com/


 *Government consultation document*: Options on dealing with squatting

http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/dealing-with-squatters.htm


 *A very thorough analysis*:

http://london.indymedia.org/articles/9566


 *Independent Media/Information Networks*

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/

http://www.schnews.org.uk/

http://www.undercurrents.org/

http://www.squatter.org.uk/

http://www.squat.net/

http://riseupeast.wordpress.com/

SQUATTASTIC8

2011-07-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

From the SQUASH blog: STIRRING UP THE CONSULTATION!

2011-07-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

The consultation is upon us and, in the words of the guardian last week, it is 'drip[ping] with the embarrassment of the officials who'd been ordered to write it'. The tellingly thin document is titled 'Options for dealing with Squatters', and briefly outlines five different positions the government could take in regards to dealing with squatters. We have until October to challenge the consultation's proposals of criminalisation: encouranging as broad a range of groups and individuals to respond to the government and highlight the different areas on which these legislative changes will be negatively felt. The SQUASH blog has already begun to draw together some of the different fields that a criminalisation of squatting would impact on, and at this stage it is crucial to recognise the extent of the ramifications of the proposed legislation. Not only will it push vulnerable people into further destitution, it removes a fundamental right to protest, further corrodes tenants rights, and strips artists and musicians of one of the few means by which they can continue working in a time of austerity and funding cuts. The list continues. We need action from all the groups affected, and also from those who can draw the dots between them. 'Action' because we need to think beyond the limited scope that the consultation offers us to block this legislation. As John Stuart pushed in the meeting last week at the House of Commons, the consultation process is well within the government's comfort zone and they are more than capable of welcoming all the well researched, intelligent responses, garnering some legitimacy by accepting them all, and then just ignoring it. It is imperative that we make a scene outside the dusty halls of Parliament, take the story through the government's comfort zone and stir it up.

So, we need a broad and thorough response challenging the proposed criminalisation via the official avenue of the consultation process; but cruicially we also need squatters, ex-squatters, and all the parties that know the value of squatting to bring the consultation to life and vividly demonstrate that value, so that the opposition cannot simply be dismissed.

(The consultation can be accessed here, and over the next couple of weeks SQUASH will be putting together some guidance to help people respond constructively to the consultation.)

SQUATTERS IN TABLOID SHOCKER

2011-07-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

MESHO, The 16-page tabloid spoof paper about squatting, homelessness and autonomous spaces is out! Access the full pdf over at schnews: www.schnews.org.uk/satire/pdf/mesho.pdf

Resist the evictions at Clifton Mansions: Tuesday 12th July

2011-07-03T03:47:00.000-07:00

Clifton Mansions on Coldharbour Lane is a community of squatters in the heart
of Brixton. Squatted since the 1990s, the 22 flats are home to a large and
diverse group of people. The residents have repaired and maintained the
properties after Lambeth Council left them empty and neglected. Clustered
around a central courtyard Clifton Mansions is a safe and vibrant community
where violence and abuse are not tolerated.

On Tuesday 12 July 2011 the police plan to block off Coldharbour Lane and
enforce the eviction of all the people living in Clifton Mansions. Making the
astonishing claim that evicting Clifton Mansions will somehow solve the problem
of drug crime in Brixton, the police failed to consult with local councillors
before pushing ahead with this plan. Clifton Mansions residents have received
only two weeks notice that they are to be evicted from their homes.

Following the evictions, Lambeth Council will pay Camelot, a private company,
to provide “live-in guardians” to occupy Clifton Mansions. The squatters
have been providing a free guardian service for years. Why make people
homeless and then pay a multinational company to occupy their homes?

Eventually Lambeth wants to sell Clifton Mansions to property developers,
further reducing Lambeth's social housing stock in central Brixton. Clifton
Mansions will be turned into luxury flats priced well beyond the means of the
local community.

Please contact the council and the police to let them know what you think.

Show your support on eviction day:

12 July – 8am – Clifton Mansions – 429 Coldharbour Lane

or come earlier (eg the night before) if you wanna be inside the mansions not just on the street outside....

They're closing the street so let's have a party!

CALL OUT...

2011-06-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

... FROM SQUASH: The Squatter's Action for Secure Homes internet blog blog working group want to do a series of posts on 'the history of squatting' >> the idea is to do regular posts on a different aspect of squatting's past. We want this representation of history to be as multilinear and diverse as the squatting movements have been. So if you know about, were there, or would like to do some research about a particular thread of this history, and can write something for this series that would be great. From the (medieval?) myth of the one night cottage that would spring up on common land, the diggers (st. georges hill is now a gated community), post war ex army people squatting the barracks, to the history of particular streets or squats, to the relationship between squatting and other housing movements and reform, squatting's relationship to particular music or art scenes, its relationship to particular eras of urban change. I guess we would really like to tease out some of the more hidden histories, maybe the role it's played for particular immigrant communities, and so on... The plan is to illustrate all the contributions and post them as regularly as possible on the blog, and so creating an archive of all of them. please forward this invitation to anyone you think would be interested, or has special knowledge about some part of squatting...

email research@squashcampaign.org

SQUATTER NETWORKING FLYER:

2011-06-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

IF UR GOING GLASTONBURY MAYBE PRINT SOME OUT AND GO SHRINGALA or whatever that bit is called. HAND THEM OUT. HIT UP BONO. NO DOUBT HE'LL BE SLURRIN AROUND WITH his weird shades still on from last time.

2011-06-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

SQUATTASTIC 7

2011-06-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

Squattastic 2-6pm Sunday June 19th 2011

2011-06-16T04:26:00.000-07:00

Come to Squattastic #6 ! It's time to meet each other, mobilise, and bring ideas to the table!

This is a meeting for Squatters and their friends, or even people who are interested in squatting.

This forum was originally called in response to the proposed criminalisation of squatting, but it is also an opportunity to meet other squatters, build our community and get involved in exciting autonomous projects. There will also be games!

Squattastic will happen 2pm to 6pm Sunday 19th of June in the Camberwell area of South London.

To find event walk north from Burgess Park on Camberwell Road until intersection of Boundary Lane. For directions contact Squattastic phone at 07757009150

6pm potluck dinner ? bring food to share.

SQUATTASTIC #6!

2011-05-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

A little update on the organised resistance to the criminalisation of squatting.

2011-05-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

Squattastic is a loose network of squatters and squat-supporters that was started in London in December 2010 out of the need for an organised response to the Tory government's announcements of an upcoming revision of the squatting laws, flanked by an ongoing campaign to defame squatting on the mainstream media.

The first gathering was called for without any particular plan or blueprint about what would come out of it, and in fact all the subsequent meetings, held once a month, have been mainly a valuable space for people to network and start projects from, without Squattastic itself taking any more defined structure or function. Projects that gathered participants and support through Squattastic - some ongoing, some defunct - were the Really Free School, the occupations around Well St in Hackney, and the Homerton Grove Adventure Playground.

As the smear campaigns reached their peak and the government faces a major and ongoing popular opposition on most of its proposed policies, squatting has been pulled out of the drawer again to divert attention from far more important political issues, and the preliminary steps to an actual change in the law about squatting are being undertaken. Many participants in Squattastic recognised the need to take the initiative and to create working groups that could focus on specific topics whilst maintaining smaller and more efficient structures. At the same time, Squattastic gatherings will carry on taking place on a monthly basis as a forum and a networking space, and to facilitate the collaboration and coordination of the working groups.

So far the working groups are a Media Group, keeping contacts to the mainstream, a Legal and Research Group, looking into the technicalities of the criminalisation of squatting and gathering facts and figures about it, a Website Group, building and upkeeping a website (which is not live yet) to create an accessible platform of communication to the general public, and a Parliament Group, organising contacts to potentially supportive MPs and briefing them on all the problems that the criminalisation of squatting would bring about. As a whole, this collective effort to stop the ban on squatting has called itself SQUASH (Squatters' Action for Secure Homes), a name that had already been used by a successful campaign in the early 1990s, the last time that squatting faced an attempt of criminalisation.

There is still a lot of work to be done, so everyone is invited to join SQUASH and help save what for many of us is a vital resource!

join in

2011-05-09T05:08:00.000-07:00

if you would like to join our information sharing e-list
or
if you would like to post something on this blog perhaps...
* an article about squatting
* a critique of articles on squatting
* photos of squat life
* an advert for squat events

then please email

SQUATTASTIC@RISEUP.NET

we want to support squatters and expand our web

SQUATTASTIC FIVE - Sunday 8th May

2011-05-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

SQUATTASTIC FOUR - 3rd april 11 - london

2011-03-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

Location Confirmation - Squattastic #4!
The Old Carpetry Valentine Road/Well Street Hackney E9
Confirmed presentations by Jeudi Noir (Paris), SaboTaj (Brighton), ASS, Really Free School, OffMarket, (London), Dale Farm (Traveller Site, Essex), Zad (Protest Site, Nantes, France), OK Cafe (Manchester)

https://we.riseup.net/assets/49446/Picture%202.jpg

Indymedia Event

SQUATTASTIC FOUR - save the date - 3rd april 11 - london

2011-03-17T09:25:00.001-07:00

SQUATTASTIC III 6 MARCH LONDON

2011-02-26T04:31:00.000-08:00

STICK EM UP

2011-02-20T08:12:00.000-08:00

SQUATTASTIC WORKS IT!

2011-02-01T07:33:00.000-08:00

http://reallyfreeschool.org/

Sunday 12th December 2PM Coloroma

2010-12-03T09:01:00.000-08:00